


Hanafuda

by Haru D Nae (Anaelita)



Series: Around the Grand Line [34]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Bets & Wagers, Card Games, M/M, Pre-Canon, Shanks is just hella lucky at games, Teenagers sailing with the Pirate King
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-14 02:04:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17499512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anaelita/pseuds/Haru%20D%20Nae
Summary: Shanks and Buggy play Koi-Koi.





	Hanafuda

**Author's Note:**

> _The fan request cover from Chapter 862 is now part of my canon :D_
> 
> _I did a bit of research as to what exactly they were playing. Turns out, they're using hanafuda cards that allow for a_ very large _variety of games. I decided to have them play[Koi-Koi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koi-Koi)..._
> 
> _The aim of the game is to make combinations of cards with what you have in your hand and "the river", placed between the players. Each card grants you a certain amount of points, and certain combinations (called yaku) grant you bonus points. Each player has the possibility once he has formed a yaku to keep drawing cards and try and increase his score, but it leaves them vulnerable as their opponent can counter with a better yaku, scoring even more points in the process, stealing them from the other player._
> 
> _That's about it for the basic rules (I think), apologies in advance if something isn't accurate !_

"Oi, Buggy, wanna play Koi-Koi ?"

"Sure", the younger cabin boys smiles, "It's been a while."

Shanks beams, "Who starts ?"

Buggy holds his left hand out, palm towards the sky, and his right fist rests on it.

"A'ight", the redhead imitates his friend's posture.

The two teens count to three, tapping the rhythm with their closed fists. "Hi, fu, mi !"

On the third count Shanks opens his hand flat.

Buggy wins with scissors, thus becoming the dealer and first player for their incoming card game.

They install themselves cross-legged on the wooden deck and Shanks retrieves his hanafuda deck. "What do we bet though ?"

"Mmm, lemme think. What about chores ?"

"S'alright by me."

Rayleigh, close by, doesn't miss the exchange between the teens and decides to observe how it goes.

Roger passes by and, noticing his First Mate watching the kids, decide to join him in a silent observation, sipping from his bottle of rum.

Buggy grabs the deck, and starts dealing : two cards for Shanks, face down, two for "the river" between them, face up, and two for him, face down. He repeats until each party has eight cards. Before glancing at his hand, he simply says, "Potatoes, then."

Shanks examines his hand and the river, humming.

"Tch." Buggy discards a card face up on the deck of the Discovery and takes another one from the draw pile, placing it face up next to the river. "Not a good start", he comments as he retrieves two matching cards from the river and places it in his point pile. "I don't even have a small yaku", the blue-haired teen complains.

"It's only just the beginning, you'll still have opportunities to make a big score", his older nakama reasons.

Buggy hums in dubitation. "Koi-Koi", he says, willing to try another draw and increase his points.

Shanks snickers.

The blue-haired teen takes a card from the draw pile, turns it face up-

"Inoshikachou !", Shanks proudly announces, holding two cards in a hand and pointing at the last one drawed from the deck.

"No fair !" Buggy shouts, "They're already good cards, but together they get you five more points !"

"And I get double since you called Koi-Koi", the straw-hatted teen beams.

The younger cabin boy grumbles something under his breath but admits his defeat... for now.

Shanks wins another round with a five-point yaku, Hanami-zake.

Buggy huffs, "Of course you'd get the Sake Cup, you alcoholic."

"Am not", the redhead pokes his tongue out. "Still, you should get faster at calling your yaku..."

Now it's Buggy's turn to draw his tongue out.

Next turn, Shanks calls Koi-Koi but Buggy comes up with Akatan that grants him five points, doubled like his nakama had him on the first round.

The game's pretty balanced between the teens but Shanks still manages to win.

"Revenge", Buggy demands. "I may have earned your share of potato peeling but you'll get my deck scrubbing !"

"As you wish", Shanks slyly says.

...of course, the redhead wins again, to Buggy's utmost rage. "Come on, another game ! You can't be winning every time !"

"You sure ?", the older teen asks with a lopsided smile and a raised eyebrow.

"Dead certain. I bet next laundry", the younger one grits his teeth.

Another game, that Shanks wins once more.

Not too far, leaning on the main mast, Rayleigh idly wonders if the kids could develop an addiction to the game...

"This time I'm betting my knives that you won't win this game", Buggy threatens, tight fists hovered at Shanks's face.

The red-haired teen carefully moves to stand up before revealing his cards. "Teshi", he laughs aloud.

Buggy opens wide eyes, scrambles to get up, drops his cards in the movement, almost trips over himself, detaches his upper body to fly to the damned redhead and grabs him by the shirt. "You !! How is that even possible ?!! You're cheating, no way you're that lucky !" Tears prickle at the corners of his eyes as he realizes he doesn't want to lose his trusty blades.

Shanks puts his free hand on his stomach, already feeling his abs aching from laughing. "I'm not, I swear !"

"That's unfair !"

"Oi, kids !", the First Mate calls after them.

Shanks and Buggy duck their heads between their shoulders and turn to face Rayleigh.

"You made the rules, now you have to go by them. Buggy", he turns to the younger one, "I believe you have earned enough duties for the remaining of the week..."

Buggy angrily sighs, gritting his teeth.

Shanks offers with a chuckle, "You don't have to give me your knives since we haven't finished the last game."

The blue-haired teen glares. "No way you're getting your gross hands on my knives."

"Who's gross ?", the redhead indignantly exclaims.

"Kids", Rayleigh reminds them of his presence. "Off to whatever is it that you have to do."

Buggy groans and walks to the galley.

Shanks stays on the deck, picking the dispersed cards on the floor. As he's done putting the deck back in its pouch, he chuckles to himself, "I got him good."

"And what are you going to do with all that free time ?", Roger inquires, walking towards the straw-hatted cabin boy.

"Dunno yet", Shanks admits. "Play, I guess."

"What good is free time when you can't spend it with your friends ?"

Shanks's smile falters a little. "B-But, I can read, I can train, I can...", he trails out as he realizes all those things are way better when his younger nakama's around. He sighs, looking at his feet. "I'm stupid, Cap'n."

"Nah, you're not. Just think ahead, next time." Roger nudges the kid. "Hey, don't worry, you know he never stays angry for long."

"Yeah, I know", Shanks shrugs. "I'mma find him", he says, nodding firmly at his Captain. Then he makes his way to the galley. Cautiously opening the door, he discovers inside a grumbling Buggy.

The blue-haired teen lifts his gaze from a growing pile of peeled potatoes and grumpily ask, "What do you want ?"

"Well, I- Since I'm, um, free, I figured I'd help."

Buggy raises a quizzical eyebrow. "What now ?"

"S'no fun to be doing that alone, I know what I'm talking about."

He hums thoughtfully. "Really ? No trick ?"

"Promise."

"Then get your ass over here, there's like a fuckton of those and I'm starting to get hungry."

The straw-hatted teen happily complies and starts peeling his share of potatoes.

"Thanks", Buggy murmurs after a while.

"S'no fun without you around, y'know", Shanks says.

"As if", Buggy retorts.

The other shrugs.

Buggy resumes his peeling. It's selfish but he's glad the redhead thinks so...

**Author's Note:**

> _"Teshi" is a yaku that, if formed during the dealing, allows its owner to end the round before it even starts, scoring six bonus points. It's formed by having four cards of the same suit..._
> 
> _Some people think it's "foreshadowing" for the fact that Shanks will be a Yonkou, what do you think ? :)_


End file.
